Melanie Hoth blends her love for Christ & jewelry
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Melanie Hoth
Newman United Methodist Church Pastor Melanie Hoth has figured out a way to blend her love for Christ and jewelry. “I became a pastor about seven years ago. I think it was a bit of a shock for many who knew me from before, because even I would not think that God could use me in that way,” Hoth said. “It’s amazing how God’s grace reaches out to those that the world would deem unworthy.”
Hoth first was appointed as a Local Licensed Pastor of the United Methodist Church at Scottland along with Clays Prairie United Methodist. After two years of pastoring at Clay’s Prairie, those in charge made the choice to close the church.
After the closure, Melanie began pastoring in Newman and Murdock United Methodist Church.
“They are wonderful congregations of amazing, loving people with a heart of Christ and a love for His people,” she said. “I feel that once you have been called to service for Christ, you will always serve him, maybe just in different ways. I love being a pastor and count it as such a blessing to be able to be part of His work in these churches.”
In the midst of the first COVID shut down, Hoth’s mother and neighbor Mary Shamp, became an independent consultant with Paparazzi Jewelry. “She thought that it would help her make a bit of extra money, as she is retired, but she has also developed a love for the five dollar jewelry,” Hoth said. “When she told me what she had started, I thought she was a bit crazy, but I decided to help her out with it on the side.”
After helping her mother for awhile, Hoth discovered that a lot of the consultants pray over their businesses, their customers and give glory to God for the consulting business and the freedom it affords them. “I also noticed that Paparazzi has a line of inspirational jewelry that I thought would make great gifts for some of the ladies at my churches,” Melanie said. “I decided to become my mom’s partner, basically because I wanted to be able to order pieces for her to sell so that I could help her to afford the things that she felt she could not afford on her limited income.”
With the shut down causing pastors to do their sermon through Facebook Live, this was another way that Hoth could help her mother. “I had a bit more experience with it so I was able to lend some help in that way.”
Once things began to open up a bit, the business partners were about to do a couple of vendor events. The pair attended the Newman Christmas Bazaar, then the Homer Bazaar a month later. “It really has been a lot of fun and has been an excuse to meet new people,” Hoth said. “I really do like all of the jewelry we sell. Maybe a bit too much.”
Hoth and her mother sell long and short necklaces, earrings, rings with stretchy back along with a ling of men’s rings, necklaces and bracelets. They also have a Facebook group called ‘Mary and Melly’s Magnificent Megabling’ as well as an online store at www.paparazziaccessories.com/397285 . “It really has been a lot of fun. We’ve signed up two consultants since starting this business and hope to share the fun with others as well,” she said. “We aren’t in it so much to make big bucks, but mostly to just have fun and meet people.”
Melanie admits that it sounds strange for a pastor in her words to be ‘slinging bling’, but she sees it as another venue to speak to people. “I love to see people happy and for women to feel beautiful. I know that God makes us beautiful, but I also know that this world tells women a different story unfortunately,” Hoth said.
“If I can get them to think of themselves as pretty on the outside, even if its from a piece of jewelry, I feel it will give me an opportunity to show them how beautiful they are from the inside out.”
If you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a church, Newman United Methodist Church services begin Sundays at 9:00 a.m. in person and on Facebook. Murdock United Methodist Church services begin at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook and in person as well.
If you’re looking for some beautiful $5 Paparazzi send Melanie Hoth or Mary Shamp a friend request on Facebook.
